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12/19/08

So I am basically snowed in. There is no video of this game to be found for me. So I am listening to two of my favourite guests on the Radio. Paul Jones who I talked with earlier today and Eric Smith. You can catch the rest of that interview with Mr. Jones tomorrow. So the Raptors Rewind may not be to level it normally is but I am going to give it a shot. I also should tell you there will be no Raptors Rewind tomorrow. I am going to be doing a live blog test for The Score. So you can come join in on the fun live with me and take part in the live blog. But there was a matter of this game in Oklahoma City game to take care of. The Toronto Raptors were in desperate need of a win but so were the OKC Thunder.

1st Quarter

The games scoring would begin with a Kevin Durant jumper from mid range. Jermaine O'Neal would get a dunk and a foul and the Raptors had a early 3-2 lead. Bosh would later get fouled and go to the line for 2 shots that he would make. The Raptors had the 5-2 lead. Jeff Green would score a two pointer and than hit a 3-pointer and that would be the start of a 12-0 Oklahoma City run. The Raptors started the game shooting 1-10. Jose Calderon would finally break the run with a long range 2 ball and the score was 14-7 Thunder.

However the Thunder would continue to roll after that with another 5 straight points and it was a 17-2 run after the Raptors early lead of 5-2. Chris Bosh would get a dunk that had a lot of added energy to it. It had a lot of that F-word to it. No not that F- word? Frustration. Kevin Durant would close out the quarter putting Jermaine O'Neal on a poster. The Thunder had a 26-17 lead after one quarter of play.

2nd Quarter

Anthony Parker would get to the line and make a couple free throws that would begin the scoring in the second quarter of play. Damien Wilkins would get Thunder on the board with a long jumper for 2 in response. Andrea Bargnani would get a lay-up but Raptors still trailed 28-21. Both teams would struggle to get the next basket but Earl Watson would connect with Chris Wilcox for the alley oop and the Thunder were back up by 9.

The Raptor would make a push back in this game lead by Jason Kapono and Andrea Bargnani. Joey Graham would make a jumper that would get the Raptors to just down 4 points. The score was 34-30 and it was the closest the Raptors had been in a long time. However the Thunder would stop the run and get back on track score 10 of next 14 points and get the lead back to 10 points at 44-34. If that wasn't bad enough Jermaine O'Neal would leave the game and head straight to the locker room. No word on what was wrong with him. The teams would exchange baskets and the Thunder had a 46-36 lead at the half. They were looking for their first win on their home floor since November 2nd.

3rd Quarter

Shout out to Jeff a loyal reader that found a feed of the game. Raptors shot a terrible 29% in the first half. The Thunder got a dunk to get the half started and they lead by 12. Bosh would respond with a dunk on the other end. Word on J.O is a shoulder injury and he is done for the night as Bargnani started with Bosh for the Raptors. How Ironic is the J.O injury given what just happen to Elton Brand. Let's hope J.O is not that bad off as Brand is out for a month for the Sixers. The teams were trading baskets but Chris Bosh was looking better after a 1-8 first half had made his first couple in the second half. In face he would continue to score and had all 8 point the Raptors had scored in the quarter. But the OKC was matching Bosh. It was 54-44 still for OKC.

Andrea Bargnani and Jamario Moon would give Bosh a hand with back to back baskets and the Raptors had pulled to six points down with the score 54-48 Thunder and Scott Brooks would call a time out. Thunder would miss on a Durant jumper out of the time out. However Bosh would turn it over on the other end. Thunder would get to the line and split a pair and extended the lead back to 7 points. Jose Calderon would have a turnover but OKC would not convert it. Calderon would then hit a jumper on a second chance to cut the lead to 5 points. The Thunder would rattle off a couple straight scores before Jamario moon would nail a 3 pointer to make the Thunder lead 59-53 with 2:53 left to play in the 3rd Quarter. Kevin Durant would make a strange looking lay in. Joey Graham would get a rebound off his own miss and put it back in with a jumper. Graham would get called for a foul going for a rebound. Joe Smith would head to the line as the Thunder were in the bonus. He would only get 1 of 2. Chris Bosh would get himself to the line and would make both to get the Raptors back to down 5 points. Wilkins would score and Bosh would answer with a dunk. However Kevin Durant would close the quarter with a couple a free throws and a basket to make the Thunder lead 68-59 after 3 quarters of play.

4th Quarter

So the Raptors had just 12 minutes to avoid a rather embarrassing lose to extend the losing streak to 4 games heading to San Antonio. Jason Kapono would get a 2 ball. Andrea Bargnani would hit a 3 pointer and he had 13 points on the night. Raptors had quickly cut the lead down to just 4 points with the score 68-64. Joey Graham had a chance to cut the lead to just 2 points but instead would get tagged with the offensive foul. Chris Wilcox would go down on the other end and draw another foul on Graham. He would make the basket plus the foul. Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker would get back to back buckets. The lead was down to just 3 points for the Thunder.

Chris Bosh would get fouled and sent to the line. But he would miss both from the line. The Thunder would come back on the other end and get a bucket from Joe Smith. So another chance to cut the lead down would slip away. Bosh would get back to the line and this time make both free throws and the lead was once again back to 3 points for the Thunder. He would get another basket and the lead was down to just 1 point. The Raptors would get the ball off a turnover and have a chance to take the lead but they would end up with a Jamario Moon air ball. Another missed chance and they were adding up. Oklahoma City was handing the Raptors chances to take a win and they were not taking advantage of enough of them to over take the Thunder. Chris Bosh in a time out would get very upset with Moon who would remain on the bench. Jeff Green was at the line for Oklahoma City. The Thunder would end up having a 76-74 lead. Chris Bosh would finally get his team back to even. Raps would have a chance to take the lead and miss. Kevin Durant would step up on the other end and he would make an open 3 pointer. Jason Kapono had a couple baskets but Westbrook and Durant had answers. The Thunder were in front 83-80 with 2:27 left to play.

Out of the time out Andrea Bargnani would get a look at 3 pointer to tie the game but he would miss. The OKC would not be able to extend to lead and Raptors would have another chance to score. Bosh would get to the line and he could only make 1-2 so the Thunder still lead 83-81. Westbrook would drive and score to extend the lead to 4 points. The Raptors would misfire and Westbrook would hook up Jeff Green for the lay-up and a 6 point lead with only 33 seconds to play. Bargnani would miss another 3 pointer and the Raptors were all but done as the Thunder were going to get just their 3rd win of the season. The Raptors would foul and send them to the line. It would only add to the terrible score line. The Thunder get the won 91-83 and the Raptors season was in serious doubt. Raptors shooting percentage was about the same as the temperature outside my front door. For the truly brave folks that want to look at the boxscore it will be provided for you below.OKC/TOR Boxscore

After this one the Raps head to Texas to face San Antonio. I will be live blogging that game and I could use the support if you want to come out and see how the Raptors respond to this awful performance. Bryan Colangelo is really in need of doing something to fix this mess. I talked with Paul Jones prior to this game and I will be posting the rest of that interview sometime tomorrow. So tomorrow there will be no Raptor Rewind instead we can share in the pain together live. A link for that is provided belowRaps vs Spurs Live Blog Link

I am done for tonight and I am truly at a loss for what comes next. I can here someone saying the NBA Lottery in May. But I really don't have a comeback to say that would be wrong at this point.

9 comments:

Man u didnt even watch an online stream of this game? No offense but then your recap is useless.Words couldnt describe this shitfest. At the end of the game Jeff Green didnt make a LAYUP. He went past all 5 Raptors like they were pylons and dunked HARD and had the shit OKC crowd on their feet! Youll prolly see in on nba top 10 highlights.

also dont let the numbers fool you bosh had a shit game himself, missing free throws in the end, getting beat by scrubs. I know youve been extremely positive throughout this season but now even you have to admit that this season is wasted. JO trade was a bust and the best we can do now is get 7 or 8th seed and get swept by LeBoom or the Celts.

A) I had a feed for second half, But don't blame me blame TSN2,Rogers and The Raptors

B) I expressed my doubts in the summer when Raps first made the trade. I got caught up in the hype and bought into it so I will take that one.

C) I think I said in my blog this morning if the Raptors lost this game I felt the season was doomed. Bosh has to step up and lead this team. I really do not get what has been going on with him as of late.

But when all is said and done I not only write this blog I am a fan as well and share in everyones pain I honestly do.

So if BC declared this the most talented Raptor team, the same team that he has built, then what makes anyone think that any move he makes will make the team better? From my point of view, since his arrival, the talent has steadily declined.

I'm as depressed as anyone and now wonder if anything at all can be done to have a positive effect on this team. I know it's probably to early to use the term 'rebuild' but there doesn't seem to be too many realistic options.

I do think that an experienced hard ass coach might be the only way to motivate this group into any kind of consistent effort but even then some major moves would have to be made before things could get significantly better.

And that gets back to my first point; does anyone really believe that BC can make the right moves?

Please someone explain to me that is on this latest kick of trading Chris Bosh. What exactly is that doing for this franchise in the short or long term? If it is about 2010 you have all of next year to trade him. I have no idea why you would want to do that.

When I think what is wrong with this team Chris Bosh is near the end of my list if he is on it at all.

its nearly the same situation as with vince, you gotta trade a guy while his stock is high and cb's stock is only going down and it doesnt seem like its gonna get to that level again... at least not until 2010 which will be too late then. you do remember what we got for vince right?

I also remember who the G.M was at that time his name was Babcock and not Colangelo. In addition Carter had demanded a trade and thus hurt his value. He also for the most part tanked. I can not see Chris Bosh demanding a trade in public nor can I see him tanking.

Things are bad right now no doubt. But if you panic and make moves like trading a franchise player it will not draw you the kind of value that you would want. I see no realistic reason to trade Chris Bosh during the 08/09 season. He is not going to struggle all year he will get back to the old Chris Bosh that people remember as a player on the floor

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